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Although I equally loved the Kings Quest, Space Quest, Liesure Suit Larry and Quest for Glory series’, the latter has always had a special place on my hard drive. And my favourite by far was the 4th, with its dark gothic themes, beautiful art, and terrific puzzles. The only problem was that I could never beat it because of all those DAMN BUGS!!!! GRRR!!!! (Sorry, had to get that out.) The part where you have to face the chernobyle in the swamp would always crash after i fought him and it drove me nuts. Did anyone else have the same problem? Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on how to get through it?
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(re: Shadow of Darkness) Yes, unfortunately QG4 was probably the buggiest game Sierra ever released. Which is really a shame because it’s such a fantastic game.
By the by, it’s “chernovy”. 🙂
Anyhow, Error 52 is, among Sierra gamers, the most notorious bug of all time. The reason for it is because QG4 was never meant to be played on computers that can run at the speed they do today. If you have an old computer or laptop that you can play it on, you might be able to get through this scene. I was able to get past this part the first few times I played it, on my old computer. Unfortunately, I can’t win the game anymore.
You might try downloading Turbo, MoSlo, or CPUKiller. If you look up any of those on Google or Yahoo, you’re sure to find a place where you can download them. The purpose of these programs is to slow down your computer to the speed of the older computers that these games were originally written for. Each program can be turned on and off fairly easily, so you could just turn it on for the extent of your game playing.
Unfortunately, I can’t promise that any of these will work. They never did for me. But I know that they have worked for some people so hopefully they’ll work for you.
It is my belief that Sierra put out the greatest computer games of all time, and I’ve been playing them and replaying them since I was 4 years old (when King’s Quest 1 was first released). But sadly, a big handful of them, mostly released from the early to mid 90s, were quite buggy and just won’t work on today’s computers. It’s really disappointing for a person like me who loves to replay old games. -
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(re: re: Shadow of Darkness) Another thing you can do in addition to MoSlo is opening every software package you own! This is how I was able to get through the QG4 swamp bug on my old Pentium 1 machine. I haven’t tried it on my Pentium III Dell, I should add, but if I were to try it today, I’d open Word, Publisher, Explorer, etc. – everything I could think of, and then run the game under Moslo. Moslo may be updated to handle the latest fastest machines as well. Don’t give up – there are a lot of people out there who have worked on this problem.
Also the end of the game requires you to set detail at minimum and speed at maximum. Otherwise you go all over the final screen and cannot end the game. Just before you go up into the heart, change those settings.
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(re: Shadow of Darkness) It’s funny; I didn’t have any real problems with QFG4 when I played it. Of course, I played the original floppy version back when it came out – it was the first game I played with a soundcard, actually. So I suspect the speed thing wasn’t an issue.
I wonder if there’s anybody with an intimate enough knowledge of the QFG4 code to write a new patch for it? -
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(Possible bugfix)
I made a patch that is supposed to fix many timer-related problemn in Sierra SCI games. I originally made it for Space Quest 6 (which had a similiar bug), but I could imagine that it would also work for QFG4 (I don’t have that game, so I can’t test it myself). It is for the DOS version only however, not for the Windows version.
If you want to try it, download the attached file and extract it to your game directory. Run the SCI32FIX.EXE program; it will patch SIERRA.EXE. Then run the game as usual (remember that only the DOS version is affected) and tell me if it fixes anything. 🙂
uploaded 12/12/2003 6:19:57 AM -
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(re: Possible bugfix)
Is this fix for the floppy version or the CD version of QG4? I had problems in the swamp with the floppy version but went right through in the CD version. I just never seem to beat the fairys, playing as the Wizard in the floppy version. And in the CD version, playing the same role, I can never get the subject of sacrifice to come up when I give Tanya her doll. I have done everything that I am supposed to. In all the other roles, I have had no problems. Can anyone help on this. I have a computer set up with DOS 6.2 to run all of the Sierra Adventure games. They were great and still are.
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(re: re: Possible bugfix)
DosBOX is not for you – simply because it emulate DOS and old-computer enviroment, intended mainly for Win2000/XP.
By the way, the CD (speech) version of QFG4 is more debugged than the Floppy version, that’s why you’re experiencing less problems.
Are you sure you’ve done everything you’re supposed to?
As far as I remember, in order to be able to get to the sacrifice matter, you need to talk with Magda (the Gypsey elder woman) a couple of times, as well as learn about this from Erana, including knowing that “Ritual of Release” spell, and meeting with Toby and Tanya in their room a couple of times. For that, you should have got the doll, after meeting and helping the Domovoi. Your character should also learn about Tanya from the inn-keepers. (you should be waken up in the middle of the night, +talk with them)… if all that doesn’t help (and try to go back with saved games and do it) … another thing that matters is when you do things… so sometimes just restarting (fresh) with the character helps to solve problems… from experience!-Eyal, webmaster of http://www.geocities.com/qfgs
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(re: Shadow of Darkness)
Heres a sure fire way around error 52 in QFG4
Option 1: (What I do)
Use VMWARE or Virual PC (There are demos to download)
Install dos 6.22. That is enough for me to get the floppy QFG4 to run into the swamp and out with no problems.. even install Windows 3.1 and play windows versions (on VPC as VM ware has no 256 color support for 3.1) A friend added mo slow TO the emulated PC and got great results aswell.
Sorry dos box is pretty lame, for a free product its cool
but its got nothing on VM or VPC. You want to emulate the EXACT environment they were played in.Option 2: Kill that cache
If your not sure on what a BIOS is, I suggest you dont do this. But if you disable the L2 cache in your computers bios your pc will run like a dawg ^^. This will allow QFG4 to work no matter how fast your pc is. Problem is if you run windows XP etc prepare to wait half an hour to load 😛
With cache disabled QFG still runs great but you should make a DOS boot disk and a FAT hard drive partition to run the game. If you wait for windows to load, you may die of old age in the process.I think Option 1 is by FAR the best alternative, and if your a dedicatd old school game collector like me it is the only choice and worth the $$$. I was seriously coinsiderign setting up a 486 DX in my already computer filled house and im glad I didnt.
Let me know how you go.
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(re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
You can still have timer bugs with both VMWARE or Virual PC. DOSBox 0.6 works pretty well with QfG4, though the sound is not as good as with VDMSound. DOSBox will work fine on Windows 9x, not just Windows 2000/XP. The main limitation of DOSBox is more of a matter of the speed of the host machine, not the OS. There are Windows, Linux and Mac OS ports of it. If your machine is a little too slow for DOSBox, you can play the DOS version of the game with VDMSound and save your game right before you encounter one of the buggy places in the game. Exit the game, start it again in DOSBox, play your saved game in DOSBox to get past the buggy spot and save it again. Once you are past the bug you can run it with VDMS again from your new save game.
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(re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
With the Space Quest games (particularly Space Quest 4) there are also timer related problems. However this brilliant person actually made changes to the scripting files for them which fixed the timer problems. These are available on http://www.spacequest.net.
I assume that using the same techniques it would be possible to fix the timer problems in the other games like QG4 too. Maybe its worth looking into.
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(re: re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness) Here is a the direct link to the site http://geocities.com/belzorash/
This site contains patches to fix speed related SCI errors for a lot of Sierra games including:
Conquests of the Longbow
Hoyle Book of Games 3
King’s Quest 1 SCI Remake
Leisure Suit Larry 3
Leisure Suit Larry 5
Quest for Glory 4 (CD version only)
Police Quest 2 (version 1.002.011 only)
Police Quest 3
Space Quest 1 Remake
Space Quest 4 CD Version
Space Quest 5
Space Quest 6 -
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(re: Shadow of Darkness)
If the above-mentioned doesn’t work then, go to “http://www.happy-land.ca/sierra/”, and download “QFG4PatchedDOS.zip”. If your using the windows version, I recommend using the DOS version, it’s got better graphics.
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(re: Shadow of Darkness) there is a fellow who has created timer fixes for the most critical parts in sierra games:
http://geocities.com/belzorash/ however, it does not fix everything; if you want the game to run as it was intended, use dosbox 0.61. It supports general midi now, the sound and music is great in this version; better than i could get it working in VDMSound, and theres absolutely NO timer related problems (in qg3 & 4 the whole stamina thing was messed up when you did certain things ie cross the rope in the cave).
you just need to make sure you set up dosbox right; they say it varies from pc to pc but i found running it at about 4500-5000 cycles would give me pretty much full speed. you’ll also want to enable opengl mode unless you want a slowfest while playing in windowed mode.
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(re: re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
Well all the bugs may not be timer related but there is stuff like in QG1 the palette gets corrupted, in QG4 the speech skips or cuts off once in a while, in combat in QG4 the magic spells charge up faster than they’re supposed to… its just better not to get your hands messy with patches and just use a universal fix for all games if you can; now im not putting down your work, i love it. its great stuff, but i think its asking a lot for you to be able to fix every single bug related to faster pcs & newer hardware
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(re: re: re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
I am very pleased with the latest version of NewRisingSun’s patch for QfG 4. The game is now VERY playable. I have not found any more bugs that are speed related. It was the speed bugs that prevented you from being able to play the game. I have not encountered any of the bugs you mentioned (perhaps something with your system?) Also any other bugs will not be fixed by playing it with DOSBox.
One other bug that would be nice to have fixed is the audio error that you get with the Windows version under XP. But, this is beyond the scope of NewRisingSun’s project, though it would be nice if someone could fix this and some of the other interpreter related problems with the Sierra games, such as the Windows version of KQ6 not launching on the NT kernel or the save bug with GK1.
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(re: re: re: re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
“One other bug that would be nice to have fixed is the audio error that you get with the Windows version under XP.”
I’m not using XP, so there’s nothing I can do about that. AFAIK though you can use VDMsound and then run the DOS version under XP which is better anyway.
Either way, the point of using patches instead of DOSbox is that DOSbox works around bugs by making the system not too fast, whereas patches FIX bugs (notice how the game still works the same on old systems). Also, you’ll need a high-end system, which not everyone has, to run DOSbox at Pentium speed to make QG4/SQ6 playable at an acceptable speed.
“such as the Windows version of KQ6 not launching on the NT kernel”
Ah, KQ6, the only game where there’s actually an excuse for using the Windows version. 🙂 Though I personally find the “Hi-Res character art” to be uglier than the low-res faces…
” the save bug with GK1.”
I think Endroz was working on that one… maybe you should email him atmaczoxx@libero.it and ask him how he’s doing…
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(re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
you’re right about speed; you need at least a 600 mhz machine to play the game at full speed w/ general midi in dosbox, and 800 mhz to play the games with MT32 emulation.. but theres give and take either playing straight in dos or in dosbox.. like i mentioned QG4 speech isnt perfect, even with VDMsound, under dos in win 2k/xp, but do you get the speed advantage, however in dosbox you have the advantage of playing in a window, playing with scale2x filter so that the screens look much nicer than regular EGA/VGA, using your video card’s gamma correction, etc..
but im not trying to undermine your work, its great (when i first heard of it its actually what got me back into the adventure gaming mood again), and im thinking of making a website myself as kind of an archive of all things sierra (or at least quest for glory) and posting *all* of the methods to fix the bugs in sierra games.
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(re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
In general, I only use DOSBox as a last resort for a variety of reasons, including that the sound is not as good as with VDMS. I do agree with you, though, that it is nice to be able to run the DOS games in a window. Running old VGA games on 19″ or larger monitor enlarges the images so much that they are too pixelated. Being able to get them down to the size that they would have been on a 14″ monitor is what I would like. This is one of the reasons that I try to get the Windows version going.
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(re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Shadow of Darkness)
I have played every single Sierra talkie CD rom including QG4 using nothing but VDM Sound on XP or in some cases running the Window’s versions. I’m running a P3-600 Mhz with XP and Dos Box can’t handle the sound.
I have only had 1 problem game, all the other games have run perfectly, and since using the great fixes for the speed problems there hasn’t been any need to use DosBox at all.
The one exception is King’s Quest 5 CD version which the sound is all jittery and the speech just plain out doesn’t work. Also the intro sequence just skips through like a slideshow. But in DosBOX I get the exact same results so its clearly something screwy in my setup – the disk version of KQ5 runs fine in VDM.
Space Quest 4 CD which came out at a similar time to KQ5 runs perfectly with VDM sound – so I need to play around with KQ5 a little more to get that one going.
I find it weird when loads of people say the only and best way is to use DosBOX, and that they can’t get the games running in XP with VDM sound. DosBox is great for some games that just don’t run anymore, but for Sierra games I don’t see any need for it.
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